Princeton Study: U.S. No Longer An Actual Democracy

[Denter]

Princeton is basically quoting textbook Marxism. The state is the tool that the ruling class (bourgeois) uses to rule, democracy is basically used to pacify the population.

What a dumbass quote. Not directing this against you but against Adams. How the hell does one come to this conclusion?

Reading Thucydides and Greek- Roman history.

 

[PEB]

They even flaunt it on the cover of time. Is this not obvious enough for people?

 

[Jack V Savage]

Reading Thucydides and Greek- Roman history.

"Thucydides was a fool!"

Atheist should recognize that quote.

 

[Bay Area]

They even flaunt it on the cover of time. Is this not obvious enough for people?

Yeah, they are supposed to be public servants, but they sit on thrones ruling over kingdoms.

 

[James Keith]

presidents are "quasi-kings". The system was designed this way from the beginning to combine the benefits of democracy and monarchy.

Ironically while more and more of the world grows past the need for a strong dictatorship to keep the peace, the US presidency has grown ever more powerful despite being ever more unnecessary.

 

[Denter]

presidents are "quasi-kings". The system was designed this way from the beginning to combine the benefits of democracy and monarchy.

Ironically while more and more of the world grows past the need for a strong dictatorship to keep the peace, the US presidency has grown ever more powerful despite being ever more unnecessary.

So what's your alternative?

 

[SakuMemories]

Reading Thucydides and Greek- Roman history.

Maybe by reading Hobbes, who would have provided Adams an anti-democratic interpretation of Thucydides. And I don't know what you mean about Greek-Roman history.

 

[Denter]

Maybe by reading Hobbes, who would have provided Adams an anti-democratic interpretation of Thucydides. And I don't know what you mean about Greek-Roman history.

The history of Athens and the Roman Republic informed alot of what Founders did and thought.

They deliberately set out to make a republic that would avoid the pitfalls of those ancient states.

 

[BearGrounds]

What a dumbass quote. Not directing this against you but against Adams. How the hell does one come to this conclusion?

Apparently it was in response to some criticisms leveled at him in a book called,

 

[James Keith]

So what's your alternative?

Well a less-powerful president would be an immediate improvement.

I think the root of the problem is the govt hooks into economics, that is what makes everyone turn to the govt to enrich them the easy way, rather than earning it. So they vote for govt to have powers to provide for them. It's also what makes the govt more powerful as the economy gets richer. People talk about the govt "only" being 20 percent or whatever of the economy as always, but today it's 20 percent of the biggest, richest, and most-productive damn economy that ever existed.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

The US has never been a democracy; it's a representative republic.

Its not even that.

Its a plutocratic oligarchy.

 

[VulgarSnaps]

It's the same as it always has been. This country was designed to protect the rights and influence of rich landholders.

You just have to get rid of the landholder part and you're up to date. It's a pretty solid facade for the masses though.

 

[Count Zero]

ITT: people reacting to the OP and/or the article, and not the research study

 

[ajwbjj87]

You need a study to tell you that? A Bush and Clinton in the upcoming election not clue enough for you?

What will happen after the next 8 years though maybe Chelsey Clinton? W's daughters seem way to dumb to be president material even by Bush standards

 

[Denter]

Its not even that.

Its a plutocratic oligarchy.

If that were true, it might have something to recommend.

The fact is that there are too many oligarchs spoiling the stew.

 

[D3thr0n3d K1ng]

Princeton and Jimmie Carter are onto something!!!

 

[SakuMemories]

The history of Athens and the Roman Republic informed alot of what Founders did and thought.

They deliberately set out to make a republic that would avoid the pitfalls of those ancient states.

I know all that, point is its silly to use Thucydides as an argument since his sample size of democracies was exactly one (1) and that democracy did not commit suicide. The rest of the quote I understand.

Apparently it was in response to some criticisms leveled at him in a book called, “An Inquiry into the Principles and Policy of the Government of the United States”, written by a man named John Taylor (of Caroline).

Supposedly he used Athens and France as examples to support his statements.

I did a quick search but couldn't locate the full pdf.

Thanks, that sounds kind of interesting.

 

[Medusas Weave]

Well a less-powerful president would be an immediate improvement.
.

lol, would it? who would take that power that was removed from the president? You should check out ancient rome.

 

[Medusas Weave]

An interesting passage written by John Adams in 1814:

 

[James Keith]

lol, would it? who would take that power that was removed from the president? You should check out ancient rome.

The easiest answer is the states. Mostly where it came from.

I was just at ancient Rome recently. Wasn't impressed.